IRELAND WILL BE without captain Niamh Briggs for Friday’s Women’s Six Nations opener against Scotland as the fullback continues her comeback from injury.

Tom Tierney has named five uncapped players in his matchday squad for the game in Glasgow with Leinster’s Paula Fitzpatrick captaining the side in Briggs’ absence.

Ailsa Hughes will win her first international cap at Broadway Stadium after being named to start at scrum-half while Jennie Finlay, Ilse Van Staden, Ciara O’Connor and Eimear Considine could all make their debuts off the bench.

Hughes will partner the experienced Nora Stapleton in the half-back line with the returning Jenny Murphy set to line out alongside Sene Naoupa in a potentially explosive centre partnership.

Alison Miller and Niamh Kavanagh will start on the wings while Mairead Coyne will be asked to fill the void left by Briggs at fullback.

“The first game of the Six Nations is always a big challenge, as it’s very difficult to know what the opposition are going to throw at you,” Tierney said.

“Scotland in front of their home crowd will be looking to give their fans something to get excited about, so it’s really important that we go into the game fully focused.

“There’s some new caps in the side for this Friday, and those players have performed really well in the camps that we’ve had over the previous number of weeks, so now it’s their chance to transfer what they’ve been doing in training into the international arena.”

The game kicks off at 6.35pm and is live on RTÉ 2.

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Ireland women (v Scotland):

15. Mairead Coyne (Galwegians / Connacht)
14. Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians / Munster)
13. Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
12. Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls)
11. Alison Miller (Old Belvedere / Connacht)
10. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union / Leinster)

1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union / Leinster)
2. Leah Lyons (Highfield / Munster)
3. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
4. Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary’s College / Leinster)
5. Marie-Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
6. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians / Munster)
7. Claire Molloy (Bristol / Connacht)
8. Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s College / Leinster)

Replacements:

16. Jennie Finlay (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
17. Ilse Van Staden (Cooke / Ulster)
18. Ciara O Connor (Galwegians / Connacht)
19. Elaine Anthony (Highfield / Munster)
20. Nichola Fryday (Tullamore / Connacht)
21. Mary Healy (Galwegians / Connacht)
22. Claire Mc Laughlin (Cooke / Ulster)
23. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians / Munster)

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